Through my years as a practicing Heathen in the Northern Tradition, there are certain subjects that invariably crop up when I'm interacting with the more general pagan crowd. One of these subjects is the perceived misogyny of the Northern Tradition.Yet, not only does our tradition have great respect and honor for the Goddesses, and a special cultus to the disir/matrons, but the human women also held a great deal of power as well. … [Read more...]

One of the religious staples of the Northern Tradition, is the honor and reverence shown for not only our ancestors, but also for our heroes. All too often when reading some of the grand exploits, battles and wars found in the sagas we associate the word hero to that of being a warrior, but while there are indeed many great heroes who are warriors, sometimes heroes are simply those who stay true to their beliefs.It is a historical fact that the Christian conversion of the pre-Christian peoples … [Read more...]

Weyland (also known as Volund) is a legendary blacksmith, which we have references to from both Norse (Þiðrekssaga & the Poetic Edda’s Völundarkviða) and Anglo-Saxon (Beowulf, Deor and Waldere) sources. In the archaeological record we see his story depicted on the Swedish Ardre image stone VIII, the Franks Casket, and a variety of stone cross and monuments throughout England. Weyland has a reputation in folk stories that once he was paid, no matter how impossible the job asked for, that he wo … [Read more...]

I am human, and therefore like so many others I have my personal ticks and pet peeves. Among them are common misperceptions that somehow seem to multiply faster than dirty laundry & dust bunnies, or the spam messages in my inbox.Somehow, once upon a time someone first said that the Goddess Freyja was a Valkyrie, and since then that concept has been reiterated innumerable times across websites, and a plethora of books. While not trying to be disparaging of those who are not focused in the … [Read more...]

The crisp cool air of autumn is in the air, and with Halloween around the corner the airwaves are full of stories about vampires, werewolves, demons, ghosts and zombies (and oh how I have been waiting for AMC’s Walking Dead series). Of course the cultures that comprise the Northern Tradition were certainly known for their own stories. Even quintessential American literary classics like Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow have their roots in Germanic folktales and beliefs. There is som … [Read more...]